


Say No to the World

by mangoflavoredsushi



Category: JUDGE EYES: 死神の遺言 | Judgment
Genre: Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27444220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mangoflavoredsushi/pseuds/mangoflavoredsushi
Summary: A favor to a friend - he'd done a thousand before. Only this time, it forces Yagami to make the hardest choice of his career. Solve and throw one of his own to the wolves. Or remain loyal and become an accomplice. Either way, history is about to repeat itself sooner than wanted.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter One

Not once since Yagami staggered in and begged for employment had Tender changed. The same classical music played softly in the background. The décor remained classy, and yet to show a sign of aging. Masuda had taken great pride in keeping his business alive, even as his clientele waived. When he was a teen, Tender was full of three-piece suits and black business cards. Swigging sherry and leaving tips that lined his pockets for days. Now it was a more subtle crowd. A few business class folk, and of course Mari after a long day of successful gambling. Tender still remained a source of work for Yagami, whether through Masuda himself or some other source.

Tonight was the latter. Yagami was greeted upon entry, by Mari who raised her class slightly. And Masuda who tilted his head while cleaning glasses. Neither had business with him tonight, but three more steps in were the one that was expecting him. Mafuyu; looking as beautiful as ever in a suit that costs four months' rent. Even if Yagami had made his presence clear, she acted as if she hadn’t noticed his arrival. She had glanced only slightly as he took the stool beside her.

He took a quick read of the environment. She was avoiding him and trying to hide it. Not a good start to their evening together. A glass appeared in front of him, holding a single ice sphere and dark liquid. Jack on the Rocks. His favorite; already ordered and waiting to be served. Yagami wanted to be grateful she remembered, but her earlier actions had raised his guard. As much as he trusted Mafuyu, there was still some barriers in their relationship. Her career for once thing. And their morals (or his ability to looks past a gray area) were another.

Someone had to break the ice, and Mafuyu volunteered. A small smile graced her lips, "Let me guess. An eventful day or reuniting kitties with senior citizens?"

Yagami played along.

"Actually, reuniting lost family members. All two-legged," when Mafuyu seemed interested, he continued. "Daughter had moved overseas and then came back, lost contact with her father. Wanted him to meet his new grandson."

Mafuyu smiled, always a sucker for these types of stories. It was a nice break from the world she lived in - where crime happened and she served justice. As if he read her mind, Yagami pried. "And you?"

The tension returned; both of them felt it. Mafuyu traced over the rim of her wine glass, searching for the right words to explain. Yagami never looked away from her, and she knew he was reading her once again. And so it began.

"You know Daichi Watanabe?" She started out simple. A question she already knew the answer to. Yagami nodded.

"Are you asking if I know who our Governor is? Especially after he’s been on the news lately…" Yagami replied, thinking about the many headlines he’d seen recently. The young son of Governor Watanabe had been found murdered in the family home last month. The case had piqued the detective’s interest, but his focus had been on other things – mainly paying clients. With the high priority of this case, it was no surprise that she would be on the prosecution team.

Mafuyu nodded. "Every detective possible has eyes on the case. We'll be ready to prosecute at a moment's notice."

"Must be nice. How fast they catch the guy?" He hadn't heard any news about the indictment, but that could have meant it wasn't headline material. Or a far less wanted result. Mafuyu's silence answered his question for him. "How long has it been now, three weeks?"

"A little over. There’s not much to go on, to be honest. No signs of a struggle. A single stab with the boy's own switchblade. The room was rummaged through, but nothing of value was stolen. Games. Computer. Cell Phone. All there."

"Robbery gone wrong?"

"That’s the theory they’re going with. Flawed as it is.” She stopped abruptly, once again interested in her drink.

“Flawed? What makes you say that?”

“The Governor’s Mansion has a pretty solid security system. Officer patrols, hidden alert buttons. None of that was triggered.”

“They could have surprised him, not given him a chance to alert. Cased the place to learn the shift rotations. Any thief worth his salt would have made preparations to rob a place like that. Guess the kid’s presence ruined his big score.”

“That wouldn't explain the lack of camera footage, though. And the room was locked from the inside, making the only possible point of entry the son’s room. But that -” Her brow was furrowed, slowly mentally slipping into prosecutor mode.

“That?” Yagami questioned after a moment of her silence. Mafuyu pulled in a sharp breath.

“That would be the second-floor bedroom window. Since no motion sensors were triggered – any climbing or even use of a ladder is ruled out.”

“And an inside job is ruled out?”

“Pretty much. Watanabe and his staff have pretty solid alibis. So does the on shift guard. It was past midnight, so the house staff was gone.”

“And we’re clinging to a robbery gone wrong?”

“Yes...” Even as Mafuyu said as she shook her head. “The only way in would be jumping from the privacy fence to a patio ledge. An almost impossible jump – for a normal person. But in Kamurocho…”

Yagami’s voice lowered, a tone dangerously close to the low growl he used to threaten enemies. “We had a whole group of parkour thieves running wild in the streets. That’s what you’re implying here. And if you think - ”

“Had. Yagami. Had. I’m not implying anything. But the detectives on this case are.”

"They disbanded. I made sure of that."

“And you’re completely sure? I’m not doubting it, but the possibility of stragglers or a following. You never know. Perhaps if -”

"I know." Yagami said firmly. “And the answer is no.”

Mafuyu faltered back with a soft sigh, not surprised that he knew what she was trying to ask. Still, rather than surrender - she opted to compromise. "Yagami, please. Nothing official - you can be present if you want. He could know something we don't."

Yagami looked down at his drinking; now completely watered down. "Don’t take this the wrong way, but I haven’t actually talked to him in a couple of weeks. But that doesn’t mean anything – he ghosts like this often.”

Mafuyu remained silent like Yagami could share her every thought. A spotty alibi like that could easily be used against them, even when they both had faith in the boy’s innocence. And after the ADDC incident, Yagami would be damned if Suguira ended up anything like Okubo.

"You aren't going to budge on this, are you?" He had to ask.

"I'm only trying to help."

He sighed; suddenly exhausted and considering his night ruined. Mentally, he weighed the pros and cons. This could be as simple as asking Suguira if he knew anything. Even lending his company's services to Mafuyu as he had before. Still, while it wasn't an interrogation, it could easily become a trap. Yagami didn't like going in unprepared. He sighed.

“He’s changed, Mafuyu. Still a brat – but he’s not a criminal.”

"I know.”

“Alright. Alright.” He pondered for a second. “How about Genda's? Tomorrow? Noon? But I’m talking to him first." He'd send him a message tonight; give him a heads up of just what they were walking into. Perhaps even fill Kaito in.

Mafuyu probably could predict his plan, but she meant every word she had said. "I'll take it."

"You’re wrong, though. Just be aware." Yagami said firmly.

Mafuyu’s voice was just as firm. "You may not believe it, but I want to be."


	2. Chapter 2

“So, Tak. You ask Suguira to show up or skip town?” He asked, his voice a mixture of aggravation and concern.  
Yagami had left six messages - ranging from casual concern to nearly rage-filled to even a disappointed father figure. None received any response. Even tried through to Kaito's phone with no success.

Suguira never showed.

Just like Tender the night before, Genda's office had turned from a place that put him at ease to one that filled him with dread. Mafuyu said quietly with her hands in her lap, a grim expression on her face. The tea steaming in front of her was cooling rapidly – though she showed no interest whatsoever.

Yagami cleared his throat. “Very funny, Kaito. Next time you can just drag him here by his jacket. Bring Higashi, it’ll be a party.”

"Hey. It's a proven method." Kaito shrugged his partner off, knowing well he was walking a thin line.

“Yagami,” Mafuyu broke up the potential spat. “What did you say to Suguira say when you talked to him?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Needed to speak to him and to meet up here." He wouldn't tell Mafuyu it was two hours earlier than when he told her. Or that he hadn't mentioned her at all. Which made the fact she'd been here almost an hour more than unsettling. "But - I had to leave a message."

His phone call had been straight to voicemail - but both of his follow up texts remained green and unread. The one from last night and the one he sent this morning.

"You said he does this often? Just wanders off for a bit and reappears?" Genda spoke up from his usual spot.

"Yeah, sure. He goes off-grid every once in a while. But still..." Even when he'd been gone, Suguira had at least responded to a text. Or appeared at his office at a terribly inconvenient time. Sometimes through the window. This sudden silence was out of character even for him. And it could not have come at a worse time.

"Yagami..." Mafuyu didn't have to say anything for him to know what she was implying. Her hands were starting to be tied and the odds slipping from their favor. She'd come to him out of concern, and now she was only adding favor to her case.

"Look. How much time can you give me?" Yagami ran a hand through his hair, unsure of how exactly this conversation would go.

"You can't be serious, Yagami. I can't stall an investigation." Mafuyu looked offended. "And you can't be seriously considering…"

"Look. I can stand here all day and chat or I can pound pavement and do the work your detectives should be."

"You can't be serious. Last time you got involved like this..." Mafuyu stood up, an expression on her face that nobody had seen before. A mix of anger and worry that she knew where this conversation was headed.

"I uncovered a massive cover-up that got innocent people killed and found a body in my office." The silence that followed Yagami's outburst was tense. Even Kaito was taken aback, and the detective continued. "I had a feeling back then, about that case. Just like I have one now. There's something more going on here."  
"Yagami..." Mafuyu sighed.

"You knew it too, didn't you? That's why you asked me."

Mafuyu nodded, admitting defeat. "It's...complicated. Who breaks into a second-floor bedroom, murders someone, and takes nothing."

"Exactly. Just like the Mole. The police needed fast answers, so it was Yakuza. No Yakuza's gonna scale a wall for a single murder." Yagami could hear the mutter of agreement from Kaito behind him. "So they use the only scapegoat they have left. Someone they never caught. Like the burglary ring."

"Not that I don't believe your feeling - it's gotten you this far. But, it's a heavy theory with no supporting evidence."

"Right..." his only possible lead was missing in action. If he was even a source at all.

"How about this, Mafuyu. Give us 48 hours. Two whole days. It'll give us more than enough time to get our facts straight and possibly find some information." Genda held a hand up before Mafuyu could protest. "But when our time is up, we have to show our work. All of our work, Yagami. Nothing gets left in the dark."

Yagami wanted to say something as well, but his mentor continued. "Whether or not either of us likes the outcome, our priority is the truth. Can we agree?"

Both attorney and detective nodded. "Now Mafuyu, have a little faith. Yagami's got sources in all kinds of places. Probably can have something by the end of the day if he works hard."

"I have faith, Genda. I just worry about the outcome. Like I said before," Mafuyu faced Yagami. "I don't want to be right."

Mafuyu took her leave first, still considerate enough to thank everyone for their time. Yagami walked her to the elevator and watched her go. Both of them wanting to say something more, but neither actually did. Biting his lip as the elevator sealed shut, Yagami pondered his next move. He could feel every remaining pair of eyes on him, wondering the exact same thing. 

“So back to hitting the pavement, huh? Just like old times.”

“Hey now.” Kaito broke through the silence. “Old times were good times, Tak. Nothing wrong with some legwork.”

Yagami exhaled the breath he didn’t realize he was holding, his hand clamping down on the back of his neck. As much as he agreed with Kaito, he loathed running around with next to nothing to go on. It felt like a wild goose chase, with a possible dead end or questions he didn’t want to be answered. 

“At least it won’t be as bad as the old times..maybe...” Hoshino started out so confident and trailed off when all eyes met his. “I mean..there's more of us now. And we can make some phone calls...”

Despite the lack of sureness in voice, Hoshino had a point. Yagami had the Matsugane clan and the Kajihira group on his side. As well as a slew of locals who owed him a favor or two. Glancing over at Kaito, he nodded his own approval and replied. "Yeah. Hoshino...you mind filling in Higashi. We can take care of the rest."

“I’m pretty sure I can strong-arm some lookouts, Tak. Leave that to me.” Kaito tried to sound reassuring even though he could feel the anxiety around Yagami. “We’ll find him.”

“Them.” 

Kaito raised an eyebrow.

“We’re looking for the group. Right now, Suguira takes the back burner. It’ll be easier to look for a group in Kamurocho than a single person...” Yagami hated actually saying it, but he had a plan slowly forming. “I’ve got one more person in mind to help – keep me informed, okay?”

Normally, Kaito would have made a comment about his partner barking orders. But for once, he was able to read the room and simply nodded. 

“Meet you back at the office in...” Kaito glanced at his watch. “Five hours?” 

That would make it six o’clock. Yagami nodded back.

48 HOURS TO GO


	3. Chapter 3

**46 HOURS TO GO**

“Considering the plan was for six, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you found something.” Kaito leaned against the door frame, watching with amused interest as Yagami tore down his bulletin board. He didn’t lift a finger to help – that was above his pay grade. Besides, when his partner had something on his brain, Kaito found it easier to just stand back and wait for the ideas to flow. Made less effort for him in the long run.

“Something, yes.” Yagami shuffled around in the top drawers, letting a few stray items clutter to the ground. “Six places in three weeks. First one only days after the murder. Its too much of a coincidence.”

“So you got some good news from your tech friend?” Kaito’s eyebrow raised.

“I got news, Kaito. Not sure what to call it...”

“ _Yagamishi caught up in the hype too?” Tsukomo looked amused. Well, more amused than his normal self. But it wasn’t so much the attitude that irked Yagami than the actual question. It left a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. He’d simply asked the hermit if he’d heard any rumor of the Kamurocho Burglary Ring. Usually, his answer was in the form of a light laugh and a promise to send the information to his phone. This time, the question had caught Yagami off guard._

“ _The hype?”_

“ _Yeah,” Tsukomo clicked away at the loaner computer. “There’s only a few sightings reported so far. And a couple of blurry photos. But it's them alright. Masks. Hoodies. The likes. See?”_

_Yagami leaned into the stall, his head tilting slightly to focus on the screen. A few short posts praising the group of rebels. Giving them names like Robin Hoods of Kamurocho. His stomach dropped even further than before. He’d been in debt to Mafuyu for less than an hour and the odds were already against him._

“ _Any news about robberies?” Yagami hesitated to ask. But if he was going to go down the rabbit hole, might as well go all the way._

“ _I mean – there’s pretty much a robbery on the daily in this town. Not one we can specifically pin on these guys,” Tsukomo paused and bit his lip. “But I bet I can do some digging. Basic single homes aren’t really their style. They usually play the steal from the rich give to the poor game. So I can see some business – not smaller guys -”_

_Yagami listened to Tsumoko ramble on, his attention wavering. His first strike was a miss – and he wondered how much more he was wrong about. “Okay – so we got about six places. If that’s them, they're hitting two joints a week. Busy busy.”_

“ _Right. And nobody put this together. Can you dig into these places a little further? Usually, there's a reason they chose each target...”_

_Tsukomo nodded. “Sure thing. Give me some time, I’ll text you what I find.”_

Yagami clicked his tongue in satisfaction as he unearthed exactly what he was looking for. A map of Kamurocho; a couple of years out of date but still useful. Using the pins that once held notes and ads, Yagami pointed each reported robbery with a tack. He stepped back moments after the final pin was placed, staring at his handy work in silence.

“Didn’t they hit places that were – I dunno – sketchy, though?” Kaito finally came in, placing his hands on the edge of the desk and leaning forward. “These places are pretty clean. I’ve been to a couple. Hell, that one -” He pointed to the fourth note. “That one's owned by Turtle Financing.”

“At first they did, yeah. But my last run-in with them exposed some under the table greed. 'Specially from the Crow guy.”

“That's the one that was looking for Suguira, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah- he was out for him pretty badly.”

“Bad enough to...” Kaito trailed off, but Yagami shook his head.

“I’m not entertaining that,” yet, was what he wanted to add. But the thought lingered. If the murder was connected to the Burglary Gang, what were the odds that Suguira couldn’t answer instead of wouldn’t answer? Fumbling through his desk drawers, Yagami unearthed an old tourist map of Kamurocho. He’d forgotten how long he’d had it, or why he even bothered to own it. But for now, he would be grateful that he hadn’t disposed of it.

“But look at this.” Yagami reapproached the board with a marker in hand, numbering out each location in order of timeline. Two of the places were not listed on the old map, but he was sure of the current location. “This is north. Then east. Then south. Then west. Then north and east again.”

Kaito grinned ever so slightly, “Don’t tell me there's actually a pattern. To be sure the cops would have picked that up.”

“Doubtful. Different districts. The cases might not have been shared.” Probably written off by a simple robbery, nobody connecting the dots quite yet. Despite the lack of confidence in the current law enforcement, even Yagami knew they would catch on eventually. They had to be faster.

“Alright. So we’re heading South. And then what?”

Yagami tapped on the map a couple of times. “We compare. These two are pretty upscale hostess clubs. But this is a liquor store. No real connection, honestly.”

“Except for the hours of operation. Late at night, so the money would be counted in the early hours.” Kaito added.

“Exactly, and it's Kamurocho. It's not like these businesses’ are suffering.”

“Easy and successful targets. Sounds simple enough.”

“That's what's not making sense. The last time these guys ran around, their targets were more complex. Insurance frauds and pyramid schemes. The Robin Hoods of Kamurocho, remember? This isn’t their style.”

“But you just said -”

“I know. They got greedy, but not sloppy. I don’t know. Still...” Yagami traced over his handiwork, exhaling a breath he didn’t realize he held. “We’re looking for something lucrative in South Kamurocho. We’ve got a Club Sega Branch. And there's a night club around there – Fluid? But it's pretty new.”

“Our luck’s probably going to be better with the club. They’ve yet to hit something as big as a Sega.”

“Right,” Yagami nodded. “Guess we’re keeping the old school theme going, huh?”

“Stake Out?”

“Stake Out.”

**44 HOURS TO GO**

“You know...The brat pack could have waited a few months to make their return. A stake out isn’t as enjoyable in the out in the cold.” Kaito would be the first to complain, crossing his arms over his chest as he huffed out air. Yagami snorted under his binoculars, even though he was feeling the sting of December himself. His jacket may have been a little better than Kaito’s silk shirt, but not by much. They’d chosen Fluid as their target, with eyes on the other two in the form of Higashi and Kengo. A move that cost them a couple of precious hours, but it was the only option they had. Especially since it gave them more eyes.

“We could have asked Suguira to borrow the van,” a small pause and Yagami could hear Kaito’s eyes rolling. As predicted the sarcasm followed, “Oh, wait.”

“Make your jokes, Tak. We’ve got Higashi on the lookout now.” Kaito said. He watched with mild interest as Yagami took to tinkering with the drone. Huffing out another puff of cold air, he reached over and took possession of the binoculars.

“Unless he’s got a trained Bloodhound, I don’t see how that helps.” Save for the extra body on the lookout, Yagami couldn’t think of any extra perks. Unless there was something Kaito knew that he didn’t. He looked up from the drone to catch a glimpse of that smug smile. Yagami sighed; of course there was.

“Close. Moron’s got a bit of a puppy crush on ‘im,” Kaito shrugged, acting like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He looked back into the binoculars, ignoring the baffled look on Yagami’s face. “Don’t think too much of it. He gets them all the time, like a damn shelter pet.”

“Right. List that as things I could live without knowing.” Yagami clicked the lid of the drone shut, listening with satisfaction as it whirred to life. “How old is Higashi again?”

“Old enough to have shit taste. Hamura. Kengo -”

“You?”

“I said shit taste. I’m a catch -” Kaito shot back, stopping suddenly to lean back into the binoculars. “And here I thought we’d be here all night...”

The sudden change in Kaito’s subject brought Yagami’s attention elsewhere. Across the street where his partner was pointing. He had to squint to see, but what he saw sent a warm surge through his chest. Sulking around the ledges of the building was a thin figure – a young woman if Yagami had to guess. A hoodie cloaked most of their figure and a red mask covered their features. Both men stayed silent and watched as their new target moved about, pulling windows and snapping pictures.

“She's casing the place.” Kaito pointed out. Yagami nodded, satisfied that his intuition had worked in his favor. “She's doing a shit job at it though...”

Again Yagami followed his partner’s arm; down to the sidewalk where a pair of cops stood chatting. “Wonder if they caught on too.”

They both watched in silence; fixated on what would happen next. Waiting with high anxiety for who would notice who first. Part of Yagami wanted the stranger to notice; slip away from the law on the ground and give him a chance to track her. But also – the side of the law was needed to bring justice. When the police looked up just as the thief rounded the corner ledge.

“Shit!” Yagami cursed, throwing down his equipment and making a beeline for the stairway. Kaito hesitated a moment, watching the chaos unfold before joining his partner and flying down the stairs. They could hear the commanding shouts from the officers, but their focus was on the girl above.

She was easy gliding along the ledge; only slowing a second to grab a nearby drainpipe and slide. Even then, she rolled to the ground with ease. Yagami took his chance – leaving Kaito behind to close the gap between him and the culprit. Definitely female; her braids bounced against her back. Yagami could see her mask was in the shape of a cat.

“Oi! Stop!” Yagami cursed at how much like the shouting officers he sounded like. She responded by kicking back a garbage bin at him. He easily dodged; that was a trick Suguira had tried a number of times before. She tried a sudden turn, and Yagami followed suit. The police had long fallen behind; and from the looks of it – Kaito did too.

The girl reached for a nearby fire escape, only to have her luck finally run out. The faulty ladder creaked and slid back down. She let go and tumbled forward, giving Yagami the break he needed. As she scrambled to her feet he reached out.

Only to be pushed aside by an unseen force.

“Son of a -” Yagami cursed as he tumbled a few feet into a side alley; gritting his teeth as he found his footing. Panting, he stared at his hands for a few moments and pushed himself into a defensive crouch.

“Hands off the lady or lose ‘em completely.” The threat would have meant something more if Yagami hadn’t recognized it immediately.

“You absolute son of a bitch.” Yagami let his frustration fly at the boy casually standing in front of him, acting like he hadn’t been missing for almost two days. His anger only increased at the sight of that Jester mask. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Suguira clicked his tongue.

“Sorry, sir. Kind of busy here. And as much as I’d love to stay and chat -” He nodded his head at the girl behind him. She tapped him on the arm and pointed. Yagami could see the two officers finally catching up. “It's becoming a bit too crowded.”

The cat masked girl took off first, jumping up onto a nearby fire escape that was safer than before. Both Yagami and Suguira watched her go before either one made a move. Yagami advanced forward, and Jester drew back. “If you’re lucky, we’ll meet again. Real soon if you’re extremely lucky.”

Yagami could predict exactly what was happening next. He shook his head and stammered out the closest thing to an order he could. “Don’t - Don’t run. You don’t understand -”

“I understand more than you think, Yagami.” Suguira shuffled. “And I’m not running.”

Yagami felt a small bit of hope – the first bit he’d truly felt in the past couple of days. Only for Suguira to snatch it away.

“I’m jumping.” He did just that, following the upward path that his partner had taken moments earlier. The patrol officers screeched warnings, but even they knew they would go unheard. Exhaling loudly, Yagami pushed himself to a stand and brushed the dirt from his jeans.

“So, Officers.” Yagami panted out as the two approached. “What brought you out here. Anonymous tip?”

The taller of the two spoke up after they shook their heads. “No. We were just patrolling. There was a robbery two blocks away last night.”

“Last night? Where?” Kaito interrupted, making his presence known.

“Mm. Small host club named Flavor Two. So when we saw the girl -”

“You pursued. And now you got to report what you saw.” Yagami breathed out his conclusion.

The cops looked at him, uncertainty clear on their faces. “Well yeah. These guys are more than just thieves. They’re a public danger. The faster they get caught, the better.”

They mumbled a few more departing words and excused themselves, not seeming to care about the involvement of Yagami and Kaito. A small grace that both of them took full advantage of. They stood in silence; catching their breath and processing everything that just happened.

“So – word getting around from district to district.” Yagami said.

“Dead kid will do that. ‘Specially a politician’s kid.” Kaito replied.

“They really are going to pin in on those guys.”

“It only gets worse, Tak.”

Yagami looked over at Kaito, as if he dared to add more salt unto the wound. And he did.

“The club from last night? Flavor Two? That’s a Keihin joint...”

40 HOURS TO GO


	4. Chapter 4

"Sorry, Jester..." Even with the mask on, Sugiura could see the embarrassment on the girl's face. Her cheeks were flushed and she did everything in her power to avoid eye contact, even with her forearm in his grasp. Sugiura shook his head a moment after examining the forming bruise.

"Don't be. Happens to the best of us." He let her arm go, and she clutched it to her chest. "Might wanna swing by a Poppo, though."

Sugiura almost missed the small smile that crossed her lips. It wasn't one of joy, but nervousness. She was unsure about agreeing with him, even if it was the most obvious choice.

"Go on, Panther. We don't exactly have a doctor here..." Sugiura waved his arm to emphasize his point. All that was in the desolated warehouse were food wrappers and snoozing teenagers. None of which would help the girl. "If anyone objects, they can answer to me."

Panther nodded her head and backed away, knowing better to put up any more protest. Sugiura watched her exit, fully aware that he wasn't the only one doing so.

"So we send newbies to scout places now?" He spoke after she was completely out of sight.

"Hey. If she didn't think she was capable she should have said something."The voice behind him was uncaring. Cold enough to tense Sugiura’s shoulders.

"Right, Crow. Prey on the hopeful. Is that how we do things now?"

Crow laughed from his makeshift seat of buckets and tarp, standing up to circle around Sugiura. "Don't get so defensive. Sometimes things have to change."

“Speaking of change – the club last night?”

“A quick and easy job, Jester. What's it to you?” Crow huffed and shrugged his shoulders. “Going to pout ‘cause it's not the place you picked?”

“I’m going to be pissed because it was too soon and too close to our next target.” Sugiura snapped back, his own face growing red behind his mask.

“Then forget that other place. Let the cops chase their tails.”

“They were chasing Panther! If I hadn’t been there -”

“She would have been fine.”

“She’s a newbie, Crow. You know how half of them panic. If she’d been caught she could have turned us all in.” Sugiura was almost shouting at this point, earning the attention of the nearby onlookers.

“No, she wouldn’t.”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

“Trust me. I can.” Crow’s voice went dangerously low, silencing Sugiura as they stared each other down. The tension that took seconds to build went away just as fast as Crow took a step back. “Honestly, Jester. I don’t get you – you come crawling back to us what, a month ago? And we take you back out the kindness of our hearts...”

Crow trailed off to let Sugiura hear the murmurs of their audience. “And not only do you act like you own the place. You act like you don’t care about us.”

“We hit the places you pick. Do things the way you do things. And after you left us and went solo.” Crow paced back and forth, completely aware he had an audience. “And the only thing you care about is a sweet girl snitching? C’mon man. There's a reason we have a mask rule now. No faces. No finger-pointing.”

Sugiura started to protest, but Crow continued. “I, on the other hand, give a damn about these guys. This is why I put in these new rules. And if it's such a hassle to follow a few safety precautions...”

“Enough already, I get it.” Sugiura finally backed off, knowing full well the seeds had been planted. Even if he couldn’t see their faces, Crow’s words were echoing through their minds. His earlier actions hadn’t helped either. Turning back to Crow, he could just picture the smirk growing under his long mask.

It brought out an aggression Sugiura hadn’t felt in a long time.

**39 HOURS TO GO**

Another tack was put on the board. Right where Flavor Two was located. Yagami stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest, letting out a breath he didn’t know he had. Neither he nor Kaito wanted to say a thing, both knowing that whatever they did would not be good.

“Flavor Two. That wasn’t even on my suggestions.” Yagami said, feeling more defeated than before. “I mean – it follows the pattern. But its not nearly as successful as the others”

Flavor Two was a decently know host club in Kamurocho. A long term business that had a steady clientele. Nothing fancy or flashy to make it stick out, which was what stumped Yagami. He had spent the entire walk home silently rethinking his theory. Kaito hadn’t questioned it then, but now he was adding his input.

“Still – it had to have happened last night. Words going to get around about those kids snooping around.”

“They’ll be scouting the area in no time.” Yagami huffed out his conclusion.

“Oh, they’re already scouting.” The matter of fact tone nearly rolled Yagami’s eyes in the back of his head. He made a point to dramatically turn his head and give Sugiura the dirtiest look he could muster. The younger man acted oblivious as he finished climbing through the window. “Had to dodge a few on my way here.”

Yagami opened his mouth to ask one of the hundreds of questions he had but instead got sidetracked by Suguira’s actions. Completely nonchalant, the younger man grabbed a handful of pins from the box in the desk and started working. Adding pin after pin to the board until there were nearly twice as many as before.

“Some of these places,” Sugiura explained. “Didn’t bother reporting. Don’t want cops sniffing around when your club is shady as shit”

“How about not confessing thirty crimes right to a lawyer?” Any sort of formal questioning went out the window as Yagami fought the urge to facepalm. His arms cross over his chest and he exhaled.

“You’re a detective now, though.”

“That’s not a good argument, Sugiura,” Yagami growled as he continued to watch. Waiting until the younger man stopped and stared at his handy work. When a nod of approval followed suit and the detective moved to stand beside Sugiura. “Let me guess. Your job is to pick all the places?”

“Thought I wasn’t supposed to confess.”

“Still not helping. Stop with the jokes, or -”

“Or what-” Sugiura cut him off. “You gonna turn me in?”

There was a tense silence between all three of them. Sugiura patiently waiting for an answer; while Yagami desperately searched for one. Lucky for both of them, it was Kaito who finally decided to break the silence. Physically coming between the two, he clapped both on their shoulders simultaneously.

“Tak isn’t a rat, Sugiura. You know that.” He gave the thief a moment to process what he was saying. “But you aren’t exactly doing anybody any favors by staying silent. How about filling in the gaps for us?”

The promise of trust eased some of the tension. Sugiura visibly relaxed first. Yagami followed soon after and went back into detective mode. “I can’t help you if you don’t help us. If you’d rather talk to Mafuyu...”

“No.”

Yagami expected that. “So you choose the targets?”

A nod.

“Any certain pattern to them?”

“No. Just a general location – as you saw. Then some footwork to see what's best.”

“That what the girl was doing?”

“She's none of your concern. Next question.”

The chill in Sugiura’s voice was unnerving. Even by Yagami’s standards. Still, he pressed on.“Alright. Then what the next target.”

“I don’t know.” Sugiura shrugged, staring straight at the corkboard.

“You just said -”

“You trust me, right? Yagami?” The question came out of nowhere and threw him for a loop. But Kaito’s earlier encouragement and the simple relief of actually talk to Sugiura brought Yagami’s answer out faster.

“Of course...”

Sugiura inhaled a deep breath, a sad smile crossing over his features. “Twenty four hours, Yagami. Give me that. I’ll be right back here, same time tomorrow. With all your answers.”

“Sugiura...” He wanted to say yes again. “I’m already on borrowed time – you don’t understand.”

“No, you -” Whatever argument Sugiura had was interrupted by Yagami’s door flying open; a panting Higashi leaning against the door way. At first, he looked as normal as possible until his eyes met Sugiura’s. Then he looked as surprised at the three who watched him stumble in. Clearing his throat, he composed himself and came forward.

“I was going to ask you two at first – but it looks like I get to ask you directly...” He grunted out, pointing an accusing finger in Sugiura’s direction. The boy looked from Yakuza to former Yakuza to Detective – the confusion clear on his face.

Higashi continued. “You stupid or an asshole?”

“I’m not...”

“Either way – you got balls of steel hitting a Matsugane joint, kid.”

It was Yagami’s turn to stare down Sugiura. The look of pure shock on the younger man’s face confirmed one thing. He had no idea what Higashi was going on about – whatever it was, Sugiura was innocent.

“Higashi. What's going on?” Kaito spoke up, putting himself between Sugiura and his old friend.

“Kinkdom. The little Robin Hoods attacked a couple of employees as they made the deposit last night.”

Kaito turned back around to face Sugiura, his face an almost unreadable mix of confusion and anger. “You gotta be kidding me. Don’t tell me you’ve gone and pissed off two groups?”

“No!” Sugiura raised his voice to match Kaito’s.

“Friend or not, kid. I can’t protect you from this. Hell, anyone finds out I know where you are -”

“I didn’t – I wouldn’t -”

Yagami could see the panic creeping in. Sugiura already had taken a few steps back, edging toward the window he’d come through. He put an arm out, adding any sort of extra barrier between Sugiura and Higashi, and a barrier between him and Kaito. His heart was pounding as he tried to plan his next move. If Sugiura bolted now – it would be all over. Instead, Yagami swallowed the lump forming in his throat.

“Twenty four hours.”

Those three words shook Sugiura out of whatever trance he’d gone in. Wide-eyed, he looked over at the detective as if he couldn’t believe his ears. If he had to be honest, he couldn’t believe anything in front of him. Kaito standing in front of a cursing. Yagami practically pushing him away from the chaos.

“You...you trust me, Yagami. You said so yourself. I'm going to hold you to that.” He cursed his stutter. Yagami nodded his head.

“Twenty four hours.” It was said at barely a whisper before Sugiura left the exact same way he’d come. Through the window and down the street like a graceful alley cat. The moment he was out of sight, a sudden stillness washed over the agency. Only broken by Higashi’s broken whisper.

“This isn’t going to end well, is it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It can't possibly get any worse, can it?


End file.
